Helena Bonham Carter reportedly exited season 4 of The White Lotus amidst creative differences with the series' creator, Mike White. On April 24, PEOPLE confirmed that the 59-year-old actress had departed the Emmy-winning series. Just weeks later, Variety reported on May 5 that Bonham Carter's departure was due to "creative differences."
According to Variety, White demanded that Bonham Carter deliver a "boisterous" performance for the role of a washed-up star striving for a comeback. However, her decision to leave came only a week after arriving on set in the French Riviera. Since then, she has been replaced by White's previous collaborator, Laura Dern. The 59-year-old actress will portray a new character specifically developed for her, rather than taking over Bonham Carter's role.
At the time of Bonham Carter's exit, an HBO spokesperson told PEOPLE that "it had become apparent that the character which Mike White created for Helena Bonham Carter did not align" once she was on set. The spokesperson added, "HBO, the producers, and Mike White are saddened that they won't get to work with her, but remain ardent fans and very much hope to work with the legendary actress on another project soon."
Variety reported that the new season, which began filming on April 15 in France, will follow the competition between two rival film teams at the Cannes Film Festival. It will track how the "new group of White Lotus hotel guests and employees" navigate their experiences during that week, according to the official logline.
Producer David Bernad says the season will chronicle "the ups and downs of the festival and the pain and excitement of being here," per Variety. Unlike previous seasons, the latest iteration will feature stays at more than one White Lotus hotel. One team will reside at a grand hotel on the Promenade de la Croisette, while the other group will stay at a hilltop hotel in Saint-Tropez.
The series will film in Monaco and across France, from the French Riviera to Paris. The mainstays will be at the Château de la Messardière in Saint-Tropez and the Hôtel Martinez in Cannes, both renamed for the fictional hotel brand as White Lotus du Cap and the White Lotus Cannes. During the estimated seven-month production, the series will take a break from the French Riviera during its busy tourist season, beginning in June, and head to Paris at the Hôtel Lutetia.
Alongside Dern, the upcoming season stars Alexander Ludwig, AJ Michalka, Steve Coogan, Caleb Jonte Edwards, Sandra Bernhard, Heather Graham, Charlie Hall, Chris Messina, Max Greenfield, and Kumail Nanjiani.
